Internet - a blessing or a curse?

I use the internet a lot. To me it's a huge, wonderful library full of information that I just love browsing. Wiki is one of my favorite spots, and I also love reading blogs of other conservative homeschoolers. I do most of my "interactive learning" and research on the internet. Curiosity is a great student... and yes, I do do legitimate research.

Here are some of my favorite research topics over the years:

At 13: I was crazy about American Politics and History (Civil war, civil rights, etc), US Electal system, etc.Keywords: Hoopskirts, Fashion History, Historical Sewing (Still am interested in that),  2nd Continental Congress, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, slavery, Black Gospel music, Mike Huckabee, Electoral College, John Adams, etc.

Favorite movies: 10Commandments, Election debates, Little Women, 1776 esp


At 14: I was really excited and into String instruments and music (Cello, violin, and piano)'

Keywords: Cello, Violin, Piano, Music, Bow, Instrument History, Instrument similrities and differences

At 15: Baking, Cooking, The cake, bread, and pastry bibles
Keywords: Rose Levy Beranbaum, Baking, Cupcakes, Cake Decoration, Chocolate Roses,


At 16: Jewish Roots and Church History, Mostly Judaic, Also Christian, and a little of Islamic studies

Keywords; Holocaust, Corrie Ten Boom, Auswhitch, Anne Frank, Elli Friedmann, Mezuzah, Soviet Russia's leaders, Semitic Languages, semitic greetings, guttural soundings, Hebrew language, Shema, Orthodox Judaism, Middle East Conflict, New Jerusalem, Masoretic Vowel pointings, Messianic Hope, "Out hands are stained with blood" - Church, Ishmaelite history and beliefs, Semitic peoples, Challah, Matzo, Biblical Prophecies about Olam Haba, Zechariah 12, Torah studies, Benefits of Torah Observance, Perpetual Ordinances, Shabbat, Kosher lifestyle, Zionism, Islamic Extremism, Comparison of Kosher and Halal, Messianics, Lord's Prayer, Aramaic,
Yeshua, Most important - YHWH

So you see, at any given time, I can talk intelligently on any of those subjects. I love to research and once I get on the internet I can spend an hour at it and not even realise.  I also use youtube to watch Biblical movies, like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, etc.

But the problem is, I spend a lot of time on the internet, when I could be doing a lot of other things, and most of the time, when I have to do other things.  I can spend 2-3 hours a day reading off the internet. Its more interesting than studying the required curriculum. I feel my conscience saying its like binging. I have lots of work, practice, and chores to do. I also get myself into lots of little projects here and there that I need to complete. I write a lot, play a lot, and I use the internet... a lot. Can I live without the internet? Honestly, I can. I would be relieved not to have it to tempt me sometimes. I have lots of other ways of getting research. I could just as easily engross myself into a book in the same way. I would not be bored, lonely, or experience withdrawal, though, of course, If I were never to use the internet again there would be a lot of things I would have to do: download lots of stuff, close email and other accounts, etc.

Another problem is that every day I kinda get excited to get on the internet, (my delight should be in the Torah instead) after Bible reading, then I just spend a lot of time doing legitamate browsing. No time-wasting games, etc for me. You won't believe the most interesting things I've found, like a humorous and ironic, but totally historically accurate, account of Confederate soldiers and their lifestyle.I didn't... ahem... need it exactly for my homework... but I was learning about the Civil War, and it really got me interested in what I was learning, and I could eventually use it for some project or the other.. well...

It's not like what I'm doing is wrong. I believe it's actually good. But too much of a good thing is not moderate. And not a discipline to my flesh. This is not an area of fighting the flesh as much as it is fighting the soul, especially the mind. I'm feeding myself anythign bad, I'm just feeding myself too much. And besides, even good things in the light of God's holiness is not that good.

So what do I do?

1) Discipline my time. Live an organized, diligent, life. Ideas: Surrender internet time to God. Get all my work done first.  I think that instead of just going straight to research whatever academic topic pops into my mind (for example, learning about the nose I go and spend a 1/2 hour learning how to breathe through my nose instead of my mouth, which is healthier) I should write them all down on a piece of paper, then go through the list before the set-apart (sounds almost religious) internet time and cross off anything that does not glorify God, that is just not worth the time, etc.

2) Fast. I think fasting from the internet is VERY good for me, but I can't on a regular school day, because I need it for my homework and musical studies. I was thinking perhaps fasting for a certain period every day, like until 5pm if all my work's done, and also no internet time during general fasting and prayer days and seasons.


It's not a matter of whether the internet is good or bad, or what I am doing is right or wrong - it's about discipline of the self, and living a surrendered life to YHWH, through YHWH, and for the glory of YHWH.